Valve



Sept. 14, 1954 I E. M. GREER ErAx.

VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed seit. 2, 194e Eat Z\\2\\\ C -fDM/ARD N 5 EER 7./7'0/7/15 FFAA/([0 fl? Patented Sept. 14, 1954 VALVE Edward M. Greer, West Hempstead, and Thomas Frank Comer, Farmingdale, N. Y., assignors to Greer Hydraulics, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y.A

Application September 2, 1948, Serial No. 47,454

2 Claims.

This invention relates to selector valves and. more particularly to a four Way rotary selector valve.

Rotary valves have certain advantages over the slide type valve and various types of lever operated poppet valves. With a rotary valve, there is no need to balance and eliminate the handle load that is common with the other type valves. However one of the disadvantages found with rotary valves is the inability to properly seal the rotary ports during the rotation of the valve in selecting the pressure or return port for operation. Due to the manner of rotating the ports into and out of alignment in a rotary valve, this valve is commonly referred to as a rotary double shear seal valve. Although various types of seals have been utilized that perform fairly well and provide a sealing action When the ports are in alignment, there is considerable leakage if the rotary valve is not fully operated to an aligned position that is Where the ports are in perfect alignment.

An object of this invention is to provide a rotary selector valve in which a plurality of shear seal plungers are provided to maintain a positive balanced seal.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rotary selector valve in which a plurality of plungers are provided each having an enlarged end face and to utilize the hydraulic forces in the valve in maintaining a balanced shear seal.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a compact rugged easily assembled rotary selectorvalve which provides a maximum of 90 of movement from one operative position to the other and provides a non-interflow balanced shear seal in any intermediate position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a valve by which uid flow may be controlled through the partial overlapping of the rotary valve plate and double shear seal plungers.

Further objects of this invention may be apparent by reference to the accompanying detailed description and the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of a rotary selector valve.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig- 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a single communicating port taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the valve in a rotated position,

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View of the shear seal taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 with the valve rotated still further, and

Fig. '7 is a cross sectional view of a shear seal taken on line 'l-'l of Fig. 6. Y

Referring to the drawings and particularly Fig. 1, the valve vcomprises a main body portion 9 (Cl. IS7-625.43)

in which there is formed a large cylinder chamber I0. The main body portion 9 is provided with four ports i. e. control ports CI and C2 (for connection to a cylinder) and ports R (return) (not shown) and P (pressure). In communication at one end With each of the ports are four concentrically spaced bores of small diameter as at I9 at the end adjacent the ports and of enlarged diameter as at 20 at the end adjacent to and in communication with the chamber IIJ, said enlarged diameter portion of each bore defining an annular shoulder a. Three plungers 2I each of enlarged diameter at one end defining an annular shoulder a' are slidably mounted in the bores with the smaller portion of the plunger fitting snugly yet slidably in the bore portion I9 and with the largervportion of the plunger fitting snugly yet slidably in the bore portion 20. A spring 8 is provided in each bore I9 to normally press the plunger 2| against the face of a rotor I2. The bore 2li that is connected to the return port will not be provided With a plunger. The rotor I2 is rotatably mounted in` the chamber III having a face I3 abutting against the ends of the plungers 2I. The rotor I2 is provided with a shaft I4 connected to an operating handle IIIA. The rotor I2 is provided With four concentrically spaced portsl, I6, I'l, and I8 that in one position will be aligned With the central axis' of the plungers 2l and their associated bores. Consequently, the rotation of the rotor I2 will permit the ports I5, I6, I'I and I8 to be moved from their alignment with one plunger to a similar alignment with the next plunger for the other position of the valve. The rotor I2 has internal passageways B and C positioned so that ports I5 and I8 are interconnected while ports Il and I6 will be interconnected. The end of chamber Ill may be provided with a seal and enclosing plate IIJA (as illustrated in Fig. 1). A seal may be mountedv about the shaft I4 to prevent any leakage past the shaft.

Referring to Fig. 3 a cross sectional view of the plunger 2l is illustrated. The plunger 2l is provided with a central bore portion 22 which normally connects the bore I9 with the chamber IIl. with an annular groove 23. A communicating passage or bore 24 is provided to connect the annular groove 23 with the bore portion 20. A pair of seals 25 and 26 are provided in associated annular grooves in the periphery of each of the portions of the plunger to prevent leakage past the plunger 2I during the operation of the valve. The operation of the shear seal valve may be followed by reference to Figs. 2 through 7 inclusive. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the valve is illustrated in one operative position with the pressure or inlet portk P communicating through The wide face of the plunger 2l is provided f `towards the face I3 of therotor I2.

the central bore 22 of the plunger 2| through the port. YI6 of the rotor l2 to a communicating passage C withirrtherotor connected to the port il and thus the uid pressure Will pass through a similar plunger 2| (Fig. 1) aligned with port through the bore portion I9 and out a communicating port C2 to a cylinder to be operatedv the Vchamber 10'. This iiuid wouldv of course pass to the open return port. It is tov be noted that any iiuidentra-pped in the annular groove 23' will pass through the communicating' passage 2lil to the bore portion-20 and due to the seals 25 and 25, it will be trappedV in back of the larger area of the plunger. Thusfit is apparent that thel fluid pressurey will actA on the complete area of plunger 2| to force the plunger 2| toward the rotor l2'. The fluid will also act in an opposite directionl against the plunger in the port |6 and the annular groove: 23, but the greater area being on the opposite side ofv thefvalve, permits' aA pressure seal of the plunger against the face |13 of the' rotor |2.

Referring to Figs; 4 and 5, it is apparent that a slight rotary movement of the selector valve will carry port IS out of alignment with the bore 22 of the plunger 2| and the fluid pressure normally passing through boren 22 into port IB will likewise pass into the'annular groove 23 through the'communicating passage 2d to the bore 2t thus providingv a balanced plunger or slightly biased position the ordinary single bore plunger would provide leakage completely vdumping theiiuid `pressure to a returnV line but as illustrated in `this invention, the uid pressure is entrapped and utilized toassist the plunger in maintaining a sealed position.

Referring to Figs.V (SandV 7 in which the rotor `|2 has been'rotated still further so that the port i@ of the rotor |42 is inV alignment with the an- ,nulargroove 23, it is apparent that the fluid `pressure from port P passing through the bore 22 i of the plunger 2| is completely cut off and the f uid pressure that was entrapped in bore portion 2li in back of the wide portion of the plunger 2| may likewise be dumped through the communicating passage 24 into the annular groove E; `through the port I6 and so onto the cylinder;

However, if the back pressure remains, the fluid pressure will be retained in the bore portion 2li` maintaining ar perfect seal as illustrated in Fig.

`'7. Of course further rotative movement of the rotor E2 simply carries the ports out of alignment andthe pressure port and cylinder ports `remain in a sealed position'v with no means of `communicating with each other until the rotor has beeny moved 907 to bring the ports I5, I6,

il and |8into axialalignment with the plungers will pass into the chamber l that is connected to the open return port. 'I'hus it is apparent that a rotor selector valve incorporating plungers `as illustrated in Figs. 3, and 7 will. provide a. positivey sealing action*` not only in the aligned operating; positionV but in any. slight offset,` posi- Referring to Fig..

In thisl 4 tion as described and will not permit dumping or excessive leakage at any intermediate position as is normally found with the average rotary selector valve.

Various changes in the design or construction of the valve may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention and this invention shall be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: A

l( A` selector valve comprising a body portion having a cylindrical chamber therein, a rotor rotatablymounted.l in said cylindrical chamber, means to prevent axial movement of said rotor in said chamber, said body portion having a pair of control ports and an inlet and outlet port leading therein, a plurality of bores in said body portion in communication respectively at oneend with said ports, said bores extending parallel to the axis of' said rotor and being i'n communication atl their other ends with said cylindrical chamber, a plunger slidably mounted in each of'at least three offsaid'bores, each of said plungers having acentral bore therethroughand having its end faces of differentv areas, the smaller area end of 'the plungers. being associated with said ports respectively and the. larger area end of' the plungers being associated with the rotor and being resiliently retained against a face thereof,` each-of said bores in said body portion annular shoulder, said small and large diameter portions of each of said plungerstting snuglyY yet slidably in the corresponding portionsfof said bore, the central bore in each plunger extending through the outer end or theV enlarged portion thereof, said outer end of the plunger having an annular groove encompassing the central bore and having av boreleading from said annular groove through the annular shoulder in said plunger, said rotor having four 'ports leadingv th'ereinto through said face, adapted to be aligned withY the bores in said bodyl portion and having a pair' of passageways therein providing communication between pairs of saidV ports, meansv to. rotate the yrotor to two positions, one of said positions providing communication from said iniet port through one of said passageways to one or the control ports With'the outlet. port being connectedy through the othery passageway to the other control port and the. other position proriding. communication from said. inlet port through the rst namedpassageway and the second named control. port with the outlet port being connected' through. the second named passageway andthe nrstnamedi control' port.

2. .The combination. set forth in claim 1 in which the small andflarge portion of the plunger each has. an` annular gro-ove in the periphery thereof and a resilient sealing member is position'edl inf each: annular` groove` References cited in the nie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,650,151 Patterson Nov, 22, 1927 1,809,432 Webb. June 9,. 1931 1,971,187 Jacobsen.v Aug. 21,1934:- 2,455,087 Parker Nov.,30,. 1948 2,519,574: H011. Aug.. 22,vv 1950: 

